Peñalara

Nice hike accessible by public transport from Madrid. However I found it difficult to find the footpaths.

Awesome place! It is ideal for those Who adore nature, It is also ideal for the entire family including kids, no car is required, one can get there by public transportation ( for further information you can search"estación Cotos" ) the park counts with multiple streams of fresh water, the whole trip lasts 5 hours going Up and down.

It is challenging to get to the peak, it takes a couple of hours from cotos station, weather is not that cold while going up, be careful going down, take your time, the less hurry the less risk.

Went a round trip by the lakes to the “Bird lake” (Laguna de los Pájaros) in the north-east and up the mountain peaks in the south-West direction to the summit and back down. Really cool!
Be aware that around Risco de los Claveles peak (2387 m) you need to hop 200 meters over huge stones on the ridge, which is rather difficult for some people and kids.

A short 30 miles from Madrid center, we went with some of our fellow expats - 4 adults and 4 kids - aged from 14 down to 7. Many trail options from mild to kinda-wild. You'll feel like you're in a different world from the plains of Madrid. On the way back to Madrid - stop in Navadacerrada for well deserved beers and Tapas.

Great place for hikers. Both in summer and winter. Totally recommend it. Check out my photos to see the difference in August and February

Spectacular route that grants breathtaking views on the summit.

When done on a clear day, one can see the neverending plateau of Castille and León to the north, the glinting tower of the Cathedral in Segovia or the profile from an unusual angle of “La mujer muerta”. To the south one can see the “Cuerda Larga” with “Bola del Mundo” and “Cabezas de Hierro”, and the beautiful lagoons that sprinkle the southern face of the mountain, like “La laguna de Peñalara” or “La laguna de los Claveles”.

I recommend doing the northern face ascent, it is two thirds through the beautiful pine forests of Valsain, and the last third consists of walking/climbing up the “berrocal” (steep part, there is no path and one must jump from rock to rock to get to the top).

I’ve only done ascents in the summer, i’d love to do it on winter someday.

Love it!

- The best place for hiking if you live in Madrid.
- 1 hour drive from Madrid.
- Best time to go is to reach there at 7AM, you will get FREE and convenient parking and also no traffic!
- Leave back for Madrid before 2PM, otherwise there will be too much traffic.

Stunning scenery, snow capped mountains and lush green valleys. Great route towards Segovia

The photos say it all. Absolutely stunning. Quite a difficult trek, but so worth it.

Love Peñalara and the small lake. The views on top are awesome.

This is a fun to go for a day trip with a range of relatively easy hikes. Arriving by cercanías takes some time, but is worth it if you don't have access to a car and want to get out of Madrid.

It's magical at the top. I want to flag here "Nido de águilas".

A really windy place, but a really cool route for Hiking and training.

Great mountain, amazing nature, love it and recommend 💯 %

Great place for hiking.

Amazing plan for a Saturday without hungover!

And I want to go to there again.

Es una buena ruta, fácil y corta pero intensa. Existen varias rutas, alguna más larga y más bonita, y otras más cortas y directas.

Las vistas desde el pico son muy buenas, aunque es recomendable ir en un día muy despejado, ya que se puede nublar fácilmente. Dejo algunas fotos.

También es una ruta muy popular, por lo que aunque haya parking grande es recomendable ir temprano. Otra forma de ir es en transporte público. Por ello se junta mucha gente, pero no es agobiante.

Autobús desde Moncloa ruta 691 te deja en puerto cotos y de ahí empiezas a subir, puedes elegir subir hasta el pico o ir al refugio.

El acceso está bien, camino un poco rocoso tener cuidado al caminar por lo demás es conexión con la naturaleza y despejar tu mente con el sonido de la brisa, el sol en tu cara y las maravillosas vistas.

Dejo fotos de este gran día

Lugar muy recomendable para pasar el día y disfrutar de la naturaleza. Es bastante tranquilo, muy verde y senderos fáciles. Recomiendo las vistas desde el Refugio Zabala, y si queréis acampar ahí podéis.

Hay parking gratis para poder aparcar el coche y antes de acceder a los senderos hay un Centro de Visitantes donde podéis consultar información, os indican las diferentes rutas y si llegas pronto puedes conseguir visita guiada.